“Being able to speak with one industry voice increases the clarity for our stakeholders and enables the federation to more effectively drive value-based innovation in the industry, which in turn will lead to more sustainable healthcare systems”…so that’s good then
Abstract
EDMA, the European Diagnostic Manufacturers Association, and Eucomed, the European medical technology industry association, are pleased to announce that their respective members have decided to join forces under the umbrella of a European industry federation.
From the joint press release
Uniting the experience and expertise of the two Brussels based industry associations (representing the In Vitro Diagnostics and the medical technology industry), this move aims to enhance the recognition of their joint membership at European level. Speaking with one voice, the federation will be uniquely positioned to address common issues of interest and provide stakeholders with a comprehensive view on the latest technological advances and value-based innovations.
What does this mean?
If you’re a clinicians you will almost certainly never have heard of these organisations, and indeed why would you have? Eucomed provides leadership and guidance for its members and the medical devices industry as a whole, and also benefits industry by lobbying on such issues as the Medical Devices Directive in order to ensure that the industry has a voice. Among its valuable contributions are the issuance of guidelines relating to how reps behave in their dealings with clinicians. By getting together with EDMA, Eucomed’s voice will be strengthened.
Why don’t they just merge?
While the release doesn’t say so, maybe there will be some economies of scale brought into play by the marriage of two “Brussels-based” organisations. That would seem like a sensible and sensitive outcome in these straitened times. This move however is clearly not a merger, but a joining of forces.
The full release can be found here, but we’ve read it several times and it basically says “together we’re stronger”.
Source: Eucomed